Apologies for Absence

Minutes of the Last Meeting

Kevin Thane moved that the minutes of the January 23, 2008 meeting be approved and Bob Monnin seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

General Business

Shared Governance - Key topics of recent conversation among the shared governance partners have been: for ASMSU relocating Outdoor Recreation from the SOB Barn; extra costs with the projection room in the SUB theater; grievance procedure; equipment for the fitness center and a possible $5 additional student fee. For Faculty Senate union issues; primary investigators/grants; salary holdback/distribution; promotion & tenure. For Professional Council primary investigators/grants; salary holdback/distribution.Affirmative Action is now represented at the weekly shared governance meetings. Staff Senate discussed the issues reported throughout these minutes.

MUSSA Activity - MUSSA has replied to the Commissioner of Higher Education following a question about out of state classified recruitment - as raised at the November Board of Regents meeting. The memo confirms that most advertising is aimed at local markets even though some national searches are conducted (e.g. for IT positions in the case of MSU). Nevertheless, most campuses receive applications from out of state, or out of the immediate area, even though they did not solicit them, due to vacancy postings on the web. MUSSA also refers to the continued relevance of housing costs, in the recruitment of both local and remote classified applicants, as well as in retaining existing staff struggling with rent/mortgage payments.

MUSSA will meet with the Board of Regents in May, rather than next month. The suggestion for this rearrangement stems from the Board's efforts to reformat the meetings. It is a pilot this year, and may or may not become the norm. The Commissioner invited MUSSA to submit a report of current activity for the Regents in March. The new meeting schedule proves advantageous to MUSSA (who otherwise wouldn't meet the Regents again until September) since MUSSA is currently working with Kevin McRae, Director of Labor Relations, Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education (OCHE), and MUS HR directors over the future of Pooled Resources (professional development and training opportunities for classified staff). At today's meeting, Mary Engel discussed a MUSSA document, recently submitted to Kevin McRae, describing what is needed to bring Pooled Resources on-line. Mary invited everyone present to ask questions or give input. MUSSA anticipates feedback from Kevin by May 1.

Supplementing Staff Salaries - reporting this survey's findings has been delayed through pressures of other work (such as the Pooled Resources document, above). Preliminary outcomes were cited at today's meeting revealing that a large portion of the classified staff must still supplement salary to meet basic financial needs. The full report will be published soon.

Outreach Plans - further to last month's meeting, staff were asked (informally, via the classified listserv of over 1,000 people) whether they would be interested in attending periodic meetings with CEPAC-Staff Senate and, if so, what would they like to discuss and what time of day would be most convenient. Twenty three responses were received (which might in itself answer the question). About half said they couldn't attend another meeting in their busy day, and most were happy with electronic communication. The matter was discussed among those present at the meeting today, and the value of face to face contact with staff, in small groups, was expressed. It was suggested that if each CEPAC-Staff Senate member, and the Admin Associate, arranged one meeting that would fill the schedule for the remainder of the year. Kevin Thane moved that CEPAC-Staff Senate continue to operate outreach in small groups and that everyone in attendance at today's meeting (not just voting members) be encouraged to schedule an outreach appointment on behalf of CEPAC-Staff Senate. It was agreed that a voting member, or the Administrative Associate, must be present at each event. Rose Cain seconded and the motion was approved. Meanwhile, Kristine Mashaw and Jeanette Radcliffe spoke of the recent outreach visits they had each made (with Facilities Planning & Design, and Carpenters, respectively). Issues related to financial aid arose in the discussion of these visits, and Beth Littlefield undertook to arrange for a financial aid presentation at a CEPAC-Staff Senate meeting.

Guest Speaker: Joe Fedock, Senior Vice Provost

Joe spoke of MSU's Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities accreditation process, which has just begun. A self study, and site visit, are required every ten years and the last took place in 1999. The Standards being addressed are available at www.nwccu.org and MSU has just appointed persons to head committees to work on each one. Joe explained the process, the reason for it, and all that it will entail. He stressed that all campus constituents will be asked to participate in giving input into the self study via, for instance, groups like CEPAC-Staff Senate, as well as through surveys and other activities.

CEPAC/Staff Senate-nominated committee representatives have scheduled agenda time at each meeting to personally report on their committee work. CEPAC-Staff Senate believes maximum communication to greatly benefit the staff and campus, and so also maintains on-line reporting as well as personal contact.

The International Programs Committee meets later today.

Benefits Committee - Ron Brekke spoke of the last meeting and of the up-coming Inter Units Benefits Committee meeting, later this week.

Recreational Sports Advisory Board - the new 14,000 sq ft fitness center opened on January 14 and usage has already passed expectation. ASMSU will vote on a $5 student fee (for fitness equiment), March 5-6. The facility is working out some kinks but has been well received. Faculty/staff lockers are available; as is massage.

Other Business

CEPAC-Staff Senate membership elections, and committee rep recruitment will be conducted in April. April 15 has been proposed as the due date for classified performance evaluations this year. President Gamble will attend the CEPAC-Staff Senate meeting on June 11.

There being no more time, Kevin Thane moved to adjourn. Diane Helgeson seconded, and the meeting closed at 11:05 am.

NEXT MEETING: MARCH 26 IN SUB 276, AT 9:00AM

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